ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — Three rubber tappers were shot dead in an apparent family feud in Basilan province on Friday, Nov. 13, the military said.
Col. Domingo Gobway, commander of the Army’s Joint Task Force Basilan, said the victims were walking home from a rubber plantation in Barangay Camamburingan of Ungkaya Pukan town when unidentified armed men shot them several times.
The incident happened at around 5:30 p.m.
Gobway identified the victims as Amirudin Asdain, 23; his younger brother Halid, 15; and cousin Muhajir Asdain, 19 — all residents of Barangay Bohe Pahu in Ungkaya Pukan.
“All the three were shot to death using high-powered firearms. One of the suspects in the killing is a member of the Barangay Peace Action Team (BPAT),” Gobway said.
He identified the primary suspect as Amil Asani, a BPAT member of Barangay Camamburingan.
“I have directed the 18th Infantry Battalion to intervene here, and instructed the battalion commander to address this immediately to prevent any escalation,” Gobway said.
He said Army troops had started looking for the other gunmen.
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